L-Proline Catalyzed Solvent-Free Knoevenagel Condensation for the Synthesis of 3-Substituted Coumarins

L-Proline was utilized as an efficient organo-catalyst for the environmentally benign synthesis of 3-substituted coumarins by the Knoevenagel condensation of substituted 2-hydroxybenzaldehydes with reactive methylene compounds under solvent free conditions.     

Analytical applications of copper(II) and copper(I) in acetonitrile: potentiometric and spectrophotometric determination of dithiocarbamates

The use of copper(II) perchlorate and tetra-acetonitrilocopper(I) perchlorate (in acetonitrile) for the potentiometric and spectrophotometric determination of dithiocarbamates in acetonitrile medium is described. The proposed methods are simple, accurate and reliable and show promise of wide applicability. They are recommended for routine determination of dithiocarbamates. Their advantages over the carbon disulphide evolution method, commonly employed for the determination of these compounds, are discussed.     

Temperature effects in γ-initiated polymerization of styrene. II

Experimental data are presented for the γ-initiated polymerization of commercial styrene at a series of temperatures above ambient. Examination of the early stages of polymerization (up to 10% conversion) has led to the following conclusions. For this system, there exists a critical temperature (109°C) above which the rate of polymerization is independent of dose rate, over a wide range of γ-intensities. This dose rate independence is ascribed to a “limiting rate of initiation,” characteristic of the intensity range. A consequence of this is that at a given temperature above the critical temperature the degree of polymerization is also dose rate-independent. The above phenomena can be expected in any vinyl monomer where the monomer is fairly active and produces relatively stable radicals. Experimental procedure is described, and kinetic analysis presented to substantiate the conclusions.     

Photoactivatable prodrug for simultaneous release of mertansine and CO along with a BODIPY derivative as a luminescent marker in mitochondria: a proof of concept for NIR image-guided cancer therapy

Controlled and efficient activation is the crucial aspect of designing an effective prodrug. Herein we demonstrate a proof of concept for a light activatable prodrug with desired organelle specificity. Mertansine, a benzoansamacrolide, is an efficient microtubule-targeting compound that binds at or near the vinblastine-binding site in the mitochondrial region to induce mitotic arrest and cell death through apoptosis. Despite its efficacy even in the nanomolar level, this has failed in stage 2 of human clinical trials owing to the lack of drug specificity and the deleterious systemic toxicity. To get around this problem, a recent trend is to develop an antibody-conjugatable maytansinoid with improved tumor/organelle-specificity and lesser systematic toxicity. Endogenous CO is recognized as a regulator of cellular function and for its obligatory role in cell apoptosis. CO blocks the proliferation of cancer cells and effector T cells, and the primary target is reported to be the mitochondria. We report herein a new mitochondria-specific prodrug conjugate (Pro-DC) that undergoes a photocleavage reaction on irradiation with a 400 nm source (1.0 mW cm⁻²) to induce a simultaneous release of the therapeutic components mertansine and CO along with a BODIPY derivative (BODIPY(PPH₃)₂) as a luminescent marker in the mitochondrial matrix. The efficacy of the process is demonstrated using MCF-7 cells and could effectively be visualized by probing the intracellular luminescence of BODIPY(PPH₃)₂. This provides a proof-of-concept for designing a prodrug for image-guided combination therapy for mainstream treatment of cancer.

Simultaneous release of two therapeutic reagents, mertansine and CO through photo-induced cleavage of a mitochondria-specific prodrug with improved drug efficacy.     

Determination of thiuram disulphides and analysis of thiuram disulphide-dithiocarbamate mixtures

Potassium trithiocarbonate is used as reluctant for the titrimetric determination of thiuram disulphides in dimethylformamide-water media. The method is based on reductive cleavage of the disulphide linkage to yield the corresponding dithiocarbamates. In visual titrations, the end-point is marked by appearance of a yellow colour with the first drop of reagent added in excess. The method is simple, accurate, reliable and of wide applicability. It has been successfully extended to the analysis, in the same sample solution, of thiuram disulphide-dithiocarbamate mixtures.     

Studies in oxidation-reduction reactions: Oxidation with chloramine-b,iodine monochloride method

Chloramine-B has been used as an oxidizing agent in hydrochloric acid medium for the volumetric estimations of potassium iodide, arsenious oxide, tartar-emetic, mercurous chloride, stannous chloride, potassium thiocyanate, ferrous ammonium sulphate, hydrazine sulphate and hydroquinone, using iodine monochloride as a catalyst and pre-oxidizer. Chloroform is used as an indicator. It is coloured pink owing to the liberation of iodine during the titration and becomes light pale yellow at the end-point because of the formation of iodine monochloride.